Entrapment

Three days. They had three days once entering Ponyville to collect their target and be on their way. Jaxton took a deep breath and turned back to his accomplices. The wagonload of Zebras looked back up to him.

"We're almost there, watch what you say," he said, placing a hoof to his lips. "But first, a final reminder of our prey."

"Young Cream Heart, she is so named," said Zylah, the group's only female. She was tall and had so many stripes that she appeared to be more black than white. "Cream of coat and auburn maned. Our mission is to capture her, and bring her to heel, that she may serve."

"Our plan is simple, quick and easy," added Malakai. He was tall and muscular, with a slicked back mane. "The execution should be quite breezy. First, we lure her in to listen. Her eyes grow wide, and start to glisten. You sing and play, so starts the din, and that's where I come creeping in. She'll question, yes, but 'fore she asks it, I'll seize her in a soundproof basket. I whisk her to our rendezvous, and then we bid this town adieu."

"Quite well spoken, Malakai," said Kayson, the final zebra in the wagon. He was short and stout. He anxiously tapped his fingers against his drum. "But can you catch her on the fly? If we're spotted by the town, tell me, what's your workaround?"

"We'll have to draw her from the group," replied Malak. "An alleyway out of the loop. With my words, she'll be enraptured. And once we're alone, she will be captured."

"A call for silence will not be heeded," scowled Zylah. "A dart gun maybe will be needed. Kayson, surely you have one? Give it to Malak, should be fun."

Kayson reached into his pack and drew out a small tube for blowing darts. He offered it to Malak, along with four darts. "Don't dare break it, Malakai, it's expensive and in short supply."

"Quiet now," snapped Jaxton. "We're almost there, and we want the citizens unaware."

The cart of zebras rolled into the middle of town, coming to a stop in the main square. Ponies were already starting to gather as Jaxton, Zylah and Kayson started unpacking the cart into a stage. Malakai, however, was tasked with spreading the word around town that a group of travelling zebras had arrived to play music for the next three days. This drew an even larger crowd and allowed him to take a look around the town. More importantly, it gave him a chance to find their employer's safehouse. Upon finding it, he rapped on the door.

A male pegasus answered. "Can I help you?"

"I come here seeking Roaring Thunder," responded Malakai with a bow. "Perchance, could you be him, I wonder?"

"Alright, alright," whispered Thunder, ushering him inside. "Come inside quick, before someone sees you." Malakai quickly entered the building as his host closed the door. "Now, I only have access to this house for a week. After that, the owner comes back. You need to be out of here in three days. That will give me enough time to clean this place up before she comes back."

"Worry not, my winged friend," chuckled Malak. "Your wish is for a quick, clean end. A three day limit for this task has been assigned, you needn't ask. If here too long, it's us they'll finger, so once we're done, we mustn't linger."

"Good, good. I already have a place in mind for that sultry bitch. Her son, Button Mash won't shut up about her. She needs to be mine. If she were waiting on my hand and foot, rather than his, I would be the top gamer in all of Equestria."

"What your reasons are, you needn't say. But now I must be on my way. You wanted her ready to struggle and fight, and so you'll have her, hopefully by tonight. But first, there's one small flaw, you see. For this house, we have no key."

Thunder produced four keys and gave them to Malak. "These will let you through both doors to the house. When you bring her, take her down to the basement. I have rope and duct tape to bind her, and it's simultaneously the most sound-proof area, and the area with the strongest walls, so the damage she can cause is minimal."

"Without a doubt, your plan is stable. I'll nab your quarry as I'm able. With luck, she'll come and see our show. But the hour is late, and I must go."

Malak returned to the main square to find that the crowd of ponies had quadrupled in size. Zylah was practicing her vocal warm-ups while Kayson kept the crowd entertained with a solo drum performance. The only zebra still setting up was Jaxton, who waved Malakai over.

"We're ready for our set to start," whispered Jax from behind the stage. "Tell me that you've done your part."

"A place for us has been acquired," confirmed Malak, presenting the keys. Jax took all but one. "Now subterfuge is what's required. I'll wander the crowd and ask for alms. With luck, they'll eat that right out of my palms."

"Good. Take the basket, do your thing. I'm going to regale them with some strings."

Over the course of the next four hours, Ponies came to watch the show and listen to the exotic music played by the strange guests. During that time, Malak roamed the crowds, keeping an eye out for Cream Heart, but also collecting donations. The large basket he carried on his back was quite conspicuous, and many ponies asked what it was for. They would receive their answer after a donation, when the top compartment would open, and they would be showered with dried flower petals in response to their generosity. What he didn't tell them was that it was specifically chosen to be large enough to fit a mare inside it.

Finally, He spotted her. She was walking with a well-dressed mare with a white coat and purple mane. He walked up to the mare, holding out his begging bowl.

"Maid of hair so smooth and long, dost thou like our exotic song?"

"Yes, it's quite... charming." said the white mare. Malak wasn't convinced by her demeanor. She was clearly only saying what she thought he wanted to hear.

"We pride ourselves on our clarity. Unfortunately, we live only on..." He shook the bowl, the jingling of coins punctuating the word "charity."

The mare reached into her purse and dropped a handful of coins into his bowl. She was quite surprised to suddenly be showered by a small rush of flower petals. While they looked on at the rain of flowers, Malak grabbed Cream's hand. "Such a lovely maiden's grace has given me a happy face. We've been playing all night long, so what are your thoughts on our song?"

"I thought it was really nice," she blushed. "Although, I don't really understand the words..."

"I can help you with that task. You have only but to ask. I'll explain it in detail. With my help, you cannot fail."

She waved for him to follow her. "Would you like to come, too, Rarity?"

"No, thank you," responded the white mare. "I'm afraid I must go home. Busy day tomorrow." Malak could tell by the nervous chuckle that she simply wasn't interested. No matter. She was not his target.

Cream lead Malak away from the crowd, where she would be better able to hear him. Just as Malak was sure that no one else was around, she turned a corner. They were still close enough to hear the music, but far enough as to not be seen by the crowds. He reached down to his hip, loading a dart into the blow tube. As he rounded the corner behind her, he took note that all of the walls facing him at this very moment had neither doors nor windows. This was the perfect spot. Kayson's dart flew out of the end of the tube, propelled by his lungs. A moment later, she had stumbled to the ground. He quickly set to work loading her into the basket. He ran into some trouble fitting her in, but eventually managed to cram her body into the basket. He really wished that Rolling Thunder had mentioned that she had wings.

Hours later, under cover of night, the basket containing the mare was carried into Thunder's friend's house and she was let out into the basement. She was instantly bound by the combined efforts of Malak and Kayson, a necessary step because she had awoken.

" Wait..." grumbled Thunder. "This isn't Cream Heart!"

"Now that I see her in the light, something doesn't seem quite right." Malak rubbed his eyes. "Yellow coat and strawberry mane, I think the moonlight's deceived us again."

"It was rather dark out there," added Jax. "It seems we've captured the wrong mare. Lock her in the basement, then. Tomorrow night, we'll try again."

"You said you were professionals!" shouted Thunder. "You promised me Cream Heart!"

"Calm yourself," said Jax, holding up a hand to stop him. "Don't ruffle your feathers. A mistake was made that we'll just have to weather. We promised we'd take her, did we not? We still have two days, or so I thought?"

"Still," added Zylah, "we can't let this one roam about. If she talks, all five of us will be found out. We're in this together, we all have to fear. So until we are finished, we'll tie her up here. When we leave, we'll dispose of her, after we succeed. Until then she stays hidden. Are we agreed?"